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‘This has me so incredibly stressed’: Expert says you should not let your cats outside. There’s a chilling reason why (updated)

‘This scares me.’

Photo of Charlotte Colombo

Charlotte Colombo

Woman talking(l), Cat in garden(r)
@aceengel/TikTok (Licensed)

It’s important to be vigilant when it comes to your cat’s health, but according to TikToker and cat rescue owner Abby (@aceengel), it’s time to take things up a notch. In a viral clip, which has amassed 104,000 views, Abby says that there’s a rise in bird flu, which she says is transmissible to and fatal for cats.

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In order to keep your cat safe from bird flu, Abby has one singular piece of advice: Keep your cat indoors. This is because, she claims, cats can get bird flu from killing birds, interacting with their droppings, and interacting with birds in general. The NHS website confirms that this is how the virus is spread.

To prevent this, Abby stresses the importance of keeping your cat indoors, even if they’re an outdoor cat. She advises viewers to keep their outdoor cats contained in some way, such as in a shed and tells them not to wear outdoor shoes inside their homes.

“Now, I’m not telling you this to scare you because research says that it’s not an outbreak,” she said. “It’s not an epidemic yet in the animal welfare world, but it could be, specifically in shelters, and we’re taking precautions. I just want you to take precautions too because, again, if even one of my followers’ cats got sick and died of the bird flu, and I didn’t make this video, it would eat me up inside.”

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Viewers were terrified

In the comments section, viewers shared their anxieties over bird flu—especially when it comes to caring for feral cats. “It’s so awful for the feral colonies that people have to care for, and it’s so scary because if one gets it, it’s gonna spread like wildfire,” one wrote. “Especially the rescues who feed colonies of 30-40 cats there.”

“I am so worried for my feral outdoor kitties,” another added. “I can’t get them to come inside.”

Meanwhile, a third echoed, “I care for so many strays, they have been disappearing at an alarming rate. I’m so scared for them.”

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@aceengel Have you heard of the Bird Flu & how it affects your cats? If you have a cat, you NEED to hear about this! Keep your cats INSIDE right now! The bird flu is extremely fatal to cats if contracted, and it’s running rampant in the US right now. If you have indoor-outdoor cats, you NEED to keep them inside. Check out our guide on our website of how to make your inside so exciting they won’t want to go outside! No excuses, this is LIFE OR DEATH. Keep your cats inside! *I filmed this before the executive order was signed on 1/22. Keep an eye on the CDC and AVMA’s website for when they begin posting again! #cats #catrescue #catowner #cattips #birdflu #fyp #fyi #epidemic #catsoftiktok #greenscreenvideo #unitedstates #pets #petowners #petownertips ♬ original sound – Abby

Is there really a rise in bird flu?

As reported by Nature, at least 68 people in North America have become sick with bird flu, with one of them dying. “The risk has increased as we’ve gone on — especially in the last couple of months, with the report of [some] severe infections,” Seema Lakdawala, an influenza virologist, told the outlet.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also notes on its website that there’s an increase of bird flu among poultry and dairy cows and adds, “While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures.”

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Moreover, there have also been reports of cats catching bird flu from raw pet food and raw milk. According to The New York Times, a cat died from bird flu after eating raw and frozen pet food from Northwest Naturals. The outlet claims that when this food was tested, it tested positive for the virus. So, perhaps the cause of the bird flu problem among cats is a little closer to home.

Abby didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment and email.

Update 9:41am CT, Jan. 30: In a message to the Daily Dot, Abby specified that she is not a veterinarian. She is just “a cat lover who wanted other cat owners to know what’s going on with the bird flu.”

She referred to TikToker @drforbeez, who is a licensed veterinary professional. These are things she has learned from the vet:

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“We should not be feeding our cats and dogs anything raw, or any raw milk right now with the avian flu. If your pets on a raw diet, you need to cook it first,” she said.

She added, “Dogs CAN get it too, and dogs can carry it inside your house on their paws, so we should be wiping their paws off when they come inside with doggie paw wipes, at minimum.”

To close, Abby recommended that pet owners talk to their veterinarian for more information.

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